The railways will now send booking status messages to passengers on mobile phones, if the tickets get confirmed before the journey

Now you will no longer have to dial 139 or visit the rail website to check the status of your waitlisted ticket as the railways will now send booking status messages to passengers on mobile phones, if the tickets get confirmed before the journey.

“For the last 10 days the trial was going on and today we formally launched the SMS alert service for all passengers whose waitlisted tickets get confirmed,” Minister of State for Railways Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said here.

He said everyday about four lakh passengers will get SMS alert on their mobiles about the status of their waitlisted tickets.

The software for the SMS-based service has been developed by CRIS, the technological arm of railways.

“The status of the waitlisted tickets will be communicated through SMS on the passenger mobile phone number given at the time of booking ticket. So now you will get status alert on your mobile once the waitlisted ticket becomes reservation against cancellation (RAC) and also when it gets finally confirmed,” Mr. Chowdhury said.

This was a Rail Budget proposal and the government was a committed to providing it to passengers free of cost, he said after launching the SMS Gateway service.

“Passengers want to know about the status of the ticket and the new service is certainly going to benefit passengers and also help reduce load on the railway website,” Railway Member (Traffic) DP Pandey said.

Mr. Pandey said not only the status of the ticket, passengers will also get the exact position of the coach and berth number. “Passengers will get the status alert three hours before with their coach number and berth number.”

He, however, clarified that if the waitlisted ticket becomes RAC or confirmed then only a passenger will be informed through SMS and not otherwise.

The facility is expected to reduce the last minute enquiry rush on the rail websites and call centre as well as reduce the crowding near the notice board of pasted chart locations on platforms.

The move initiated by railways is commendable. Now passengers can relax. Also, it is suggested that the arrival/departure timings of trains, platform no, etc in respect of the journey for which the ticket is booked may also be sent to the passengers thro SMS alerts. This will bring a good relief to the passengers . This will avoid last minute rush as well as make them to board the trains comfortably at the right time and platform.

from:
s venkataraman

Posted on: Mar 3, 2014 at 19:16 IST

this service is so good and helpful to general people to the service are many time long and long need

from:
Shailesh G Bhandarkar

Posted on: Mar 3, 2014 at 19:00 IST

Indian Railways finally realized the problem of passengers.I would be more better if they could concentrate on train compartment and stations neatness too.

from:
Repala Kavya

Posted on: Mar 3, 2014 at 18:05 IST

Welcome move by INDIAN RAILWAYS!

from:
varadharajan

Posted on: Mar 3, 2014 at 17:56 IST

This is was a very good initiative by the IRCTC which will avoid the traffic in online sites as well. But what happens when the ticket is booked and the passenger didn't get a message alert ? will the ticket be refunded ?